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The ‘Fifth Beatle’

THE ‘FIFTH BEATLE’
ENTERTAINMENT
George Martin, often known as the ‘Fifth Beatle’ has died age 90

The Death of Sir George Martin was announced by Ringo Starr on Twitter – saying he ‘will be missed.’ This was followed by hundreds of tributes.
George Martin’s family thanked ‘everyone for their thoughts, prayers and messages of support’ according to his manager.
On his website, Sir Paul McCartney said “I have so many wonderful memories of this great man that will be with me forever.
“He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me. He guided the career of The Beatles with such skill and good humour that he became a true friend to me and my family. If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George.
“From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.”

GEORGE MARTIN – LIFE IN NUMBERS
• 1926 – George was born, he was the son of a carpenter in Holloway, North London.
• 7 – his career spanned 7 decades
• 6 – he won six Grammy Awards
• 2 – he won 2 Ivor Novello Awards – Special Award for outstanding Service to British music
• 37,000,000 – he co-produced Sir Elton John’s Candle in the Wind, which was released after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997 and sold 37 million copies
• 30 – 30 number one hit singles in the UK
• 1 – he has been nominated for one Oscar
• 205 – commercially released Beatles track produced by him
• 3 – he has written 3 books
• 1996 – he was knighted by the Queen and then 6 years later composed the music for her golden jubilee
• 90 – he died on the 8th of March 2016 aged 90

Following his death we interviewed teachers at Balerno High School to find out their views on how George Martin and The Beatles influenced the music industry.

When asked why the Beatles were so successful, Mrs Anderson from the Music Department of Balerno High School said: ‘At the time when they emerged into the scene it was a new style of music that hadn’t been heard before.’

Art teacher Mr Sinclair said Martin’s death was ‘a great loss of a brilliant mind’.

He said: ‘They were almost a real rebellion. The great thing about The Beatles was they changed their musical style every few years. They were experimental.’

Mr Sinclair echoed an ongoing theme: ‘The Beatles knew how to get a hook, make something catchy. It was incredible the influence they had.’